Classical North India & Rajasthan

India’s bustling capital is where many travellers choose to begin or end their journey. Explore the hidden streets of Old Delhi, alive with the noise of daily life, or venture into the heart of New Delhi, a symbol of modern India teeming with official buildings and monuments. Whether you walk in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi or just hop on a rickshaw, Delhi holds many attractions.

Set on the banks of the River Yamuna, Agra is a popular destination with visitors. With its shimmering marble domes, the Taj Mahal is India’s most iconic monument and never fails to amaze, especially when viewed at sunset. In addition to the Taj Mahal, Agra boasts a magnificent fort and a sprinkling of fascinating tombs, as well as nearby Fatehpur Sikri.

Leaving visitors feeling tickled pink, Jaipur, with its stunning hilltop forts, glorious palaces and vibrant bazaars, also acts as a wonderful gateway to Rajasthan. Beaming bright at dawn, Amber Fort is best visited in the morning.

The ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur is a tangle of winding streets that never seem to lead where you expect them to and are dotted with bazaars selling everything from trumpets to jewellery and saris. Here the larger-than-life Mehrangarh Fort captures travellers’ imaginations and provides an outstanding vantage point for looking out over the sprawling blue and whitewashed houses scattered below.

Encased by the vast expanses of the Thar Desert, the medieval city of Jaisalmer emerges from the dusty plains like a golden mirage. The Jaisalmer Fort, a breathtaking sandcastle, evokes exotic camel-train trade routes and desert mystery while the twisting lanes are home to shops swaddled in bright embroideries and ornate Jain temples.

Udaipur has a romantic setting unmatched in Rajasthan, if not the whole of India. Palaces, temples, havelis and countless winding, colourful streets add a human element to the city’s otherwise natural charms. Known as the ‘Venice of the East’, the city’s shimmering backdrop of Lake Pichola boasts the cupola-crowned City Palace lining its eastern shore and almost fairytale Lake Palace that floats on the water.

As well as being among the oldest national parks in Rajasthan, Ranthambhore is also famed as one of the best places to spot tigers in the wild. At the heart of the jungle scrub hemmed by rocky ridges sits an amazing 10th century fort with ancient temples and mosques, hunting pavilions, crocodile-filled lakes and vine covered chhatris scattered nearby. Experience an organised game drive to see the park and its wild inhabitants.